Furnace-truck seal



Nov. 27, 1928. 1,693,152

P. A. MEEHAN A FURNACE TRUCK SEAL Filed May 6, 1927 lNvENTOR .4 (DAI/L //.MftWAN ATTORNEY B #um Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL A. MEEHAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO7 ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN DRESSLER TUNNEL KILNS, INC., OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FURNACE-TRUCK SEAL.

Application filed May 6,

The general object of m present invention is to provide improved sea ing means between relatively movable portions of the kiln chamber of a tunnel kiln. More specifically the object of my invention is to provide an improved mechanical seal between that portion of the kiln chamber surrounding the ware to be heat treated and that portion surrounding the running gear of the cars in order to protect the car running gear from the destructive action of the kiln chamber gases.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however7 and the advantages possessed by it refer'- ence should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and clescrihed a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. l is an elevation partly7 in section of a portion of a tunnel kiln embodying one form of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the mechanical sealing structure employed in Fig. 3 is an elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. at is an elevation partly in section illustra-ting a modified form of my invention;

Figs. 5, G and 7 are views similar to Fig. 4 showing other modifications of my invention.

In Fig. l I have illustrated a. portion of a tunnel kiln of well known form and adapted for use with either muille or open iire heater and comprising, as shown, the usual foundation A and side walls A2 enclosing an clon- 'gatcd kiln chamber B through which the ware treated may be moved in the usual way b v a traveling platform formed by thc bodies of the kiln cars running on the usual track T he kiln cars employed may be of any usual or suitable construction. The common type of a car partially illustratedV in the drawings comprises a metallic frame C in which the supporting wheels are journaled. In such a kiln car the frame C ordinarily supports ware supporting means. usually but not necessarily in the form of a mass or bed of refractory material'`I the top of which is substantially flush with the top 1927. Serial N0 189,271.

of the usual kiln benches D at the sides of the kiln chamber as such ware supporting means are well known and their particular construction and arrangement do not pertain to the invention disclosed herein they are not illustrated in the drawings.

In a preferred form of the invention illustrated in Figs. l, 2, and 3, the joints between the sides of the cars and the adjacent walls of the kiln cha-mber are sealed to prevent the heated gases in the ware containing port-ion ofthe kiln chamber from passing into the lower portion of the kiln chamber by sealing members in the form of bearing shoes E movably mounted iny the side walls of the kiln chamber and yieldingly pressed into frictional engagement with the vertical side edges of the metallic car frames C. As shown in Fig. 1 the bearing shoes E are mounted in an open groove D formed in the portion of the kiln wall beneath t-he bench D which extends longitudinally of the kiln chamber and is provided with a sectional lining formed of metal parts K.

The mechanical seal proper consists of a series of suitably shaped metallic end to end bearing shoe sections E slideably supported on flat surfaces F 2 in a series of longitudinally spaced supporting shoes F. Each shoe F comprises a hollow rectangular central section F which may be filled with fire brick and which is provided with outwardly projecting upper and lower flanges F 3 and F the flanges F4 being secured to the kilnfoundation and the flanges F3 of adjacent shoes being connected by metallic spacing bars G. The upper part of each shoe F is provided with integral inwardly projecting flanges vertically spaced from the surface F2. Each section E .is substantially rectangular in shape and formed with its top surface divided into a series of end to end rectangular troughs E2 which are filled with concrete or other refractory material. Each `section E' is arranged with a projecting flange E3 at one end in overlapping'relation with a projection E4 on one of the adjacent sections.

At the ends of each bearing section and inwardly spaced from the projections E3 and E4 is a horizontally projecting tongue member E5 provided with a central opening E. As shown in Fig. 3 the ton ue ES projects from a slightly higher port1on of the shoe section E than the tongue at the opposite end.

of the section so that the upper and lower tongue members of' adjacent sections E may be arranged in overlapping relation with their central openings E in alignment to receive a connecting bolt J.

Integrally formed with and projecting downwardly from the end port-ions ot' each section is a foot member E7 having a flat lower surface contacting with the upper surtace E2 ot the shoe member F'. The adjacent toot of the adjoining section E is also supported in the same shoe. T he inwardly projecting shoe flanges F5 overlap the ends ot the teet to prevent vertical movementot the slide sections and to provide guiding means during any sliding` movement of the 'feet iii the correspoiidin shoe. 'I he series of angle members Ii are arranged with overlapping end portions K bolted t-o the kiln wall as shown in Figs. I and rIhe lower surface ot the horizontal section of each angle niember is slight-ly spaced trom ythe upper tace ot the slide sections' E. The vertical portions K2 ot the angle ii'ieinbers are provided with a series of longitudinally spaced openings K3. rIhe lower part ot the kilnchamber walls isprovided with a longitudinally spaced series ot transversely extending passages M circular in crossfsection and arranged to coincide withtlie openings K3 in the angle members K. Circular tubes M are positioned iiithe passages .and 'extend from the' outer side oi the" angle members K to points adjacent the outer walls ot the kiln. The tubes provide guiding meansv tor a. series ot circular bars N, each otwhich has one endv N flattened and perforated and positioned between the overlapping tongue portions. E5 of adj acent slide sections. A bolt J connects each bar: to the corresponding slide' sections. The outer end of each bar is provided with a threaded portion N2 on which a nut O is .adapted to be tl'ireaded. VMounted on the bar adjacent the outer face of the nut O is a slideabl'e disc O. The outermost end ot each rod or bar N passes through a corresponding perforation P in a. longitudinally extendingv angle'iron member P' supported by the Xf'ertitcal'I-beams A3. Mounted'on each bar is a compression spring O2 having one end contacting with the inner surface ot the angle member and the opposite end contacting with the disc member O. Vith this arrangement the slide sections are under the constant pressure otl the spring O2 tendin'gto -torce the slide into the kiln chamber. Limiting means are provided to prevent too great a movement ot' the slides consisting ot a nut. threaded on the outermost part of each bar N and adapted to contact with the outer surface of the angle member P on an inward movement ot the corresponding slide sections.

surrounds portion of each bar N and one end ot the protecting tube M. Adjacent thc end ot each tube is provided a suit-able packing S surrounding the bar and held in position by a gland member S2 threaded into the metallic section S. rThis construction prevents any ot the combustion gases trom leaking through the spaces surrounding each bar.

In the operation of my invention, on a movement of' a ware carrying car longitudi iially through the kiln a seal is provided between thc upper and lower sections ot' the kiln chamber by the metallic supporting base ot the car contacting with thel curvedlsid'e ot' the bearing shoe sections E. The bearing sections are yicldabiy held in contact with the outer side C ot the car C by the action oiu the compression spring arrangements U2, which restore the slide sections to their normal position when the car passes that poi'- t-ion ot the kiln chamber.

In Figs, Ll to 7, I have illustrated modifications ot my invention wherein the yieldable bearing shoe member is mounted on the kiln car, while the-contact memberv is positionedv in the kiln chamber wall below the bench level therein. In the construction illustrated in Fig. 4, I have provided transverse bars R slideably sup-ported in the wheel carrying structure C2 and connected at their outer ends to one side ot a channel shaped bearing shoe member R extending longitudinally ot the car.' rIhe bearing member R is arrai'iged with its open side facing upwardly and filled with an insulating material. The outer side R2 of the bearing member contacts with a metallic wearing plate R3 inserted in and extending longitudinally of the bench portion' ot the kiln. Between the supports C2 for each wheel of the car and mounted on each bar R isa compression spring R4 having one end abutting a shoulder R5 formed on the bar and its opposite end in contact with one of the wheel supporting members G2. As in Figs. l and 2 I have provided a nut RG threaded on the inner end ot the bar 'tor limit-ing the outward sliding movement-'ot'v the bearing member R. The under surtace. ot' the metallic car supporting base C is arranged in sliding engagement with the top sui-tace of the bearing member to prevent the hot gases passing through at that point to the lower part ot' the kiln chamber. l

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7, I have illustrated moditied forms ot the invention shown in Fig. l, in which the contacting surfaces of the bearing shoe member R andV wearing plate Rt are formed in various shapes. In Fig. 5, the outer' side ot the wearing plate element is concave in form and arranged to contact with the conveXly curved outer side ot the shoe member. This construction provides a. close joint between the Ycontacting surfaces. In 6, the bearing member It is provided with a lower portion B7 projecting outwardly While the Wearing member is formed with an undercut portion Rs the side provided with a vertical contact surface. In

this construction the metallic car base is provided With a longitudinal flange C3 projecting into an undercut portion D of the bench inm'iediately above the wearing plate R3 to provide means for deflecting the gases from the Contact surfaces.

My invention is characterized by the simplicity of the construction and its effectiveness in operation. The novel elements .forming the mechanical seal between the parts may be used independently of or in conjunction With a sand seal or other types of seal. iVith the construction described above, the running gear of the kiln car will be protected from the destructive action of the high temperature gases in the upper part ofthe kiln chamber with resulting longer comniercial life of that struct-ure.

Vhile in accordance Wit-h the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best form of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be appa-rent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed Without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims and that in some cases certain features of my invention may be used to advantage Without a corresponding use of other features. Y

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a tunnel kiln comprising an elongated kiln chamber and cars forming a Ware supporting platform part movable longitudinally through said chamber, means for sealing a joint between said part and an adjacent part of the kiln Wall comprising a bearing shoe mounted for horizontal movement on one of said parts, and mechanical means for holding said bearing member in frictional engagement with the other of said parts.

2. In a tunnel kiln comprising an elongatedkiln chamber and cars forming a Ware supporting platform part movable longitudinally through said chamber, means for sealing a joint between said part and an adj acentpart of the kiln chamber wall comprising a bearing shoe member movably mounted on one of said parts and means for holding said bearing member inv friction'al engagement With the other of said parts comp 1ising a transverse bar slideably supported in one of said parts and connected to said bearing member and resilient means mounted on said bar.

3. In a tunnel kiln comprising lan elongated kiln chamber through which Ware supporting cars may be moved, means for sealing the joint between a side wall of the kiln chamber and the adjacent sides of the cars at a level intermediate the top and bottom of the kiln chamber comprising sealing members mounted for horizontal movement in the side Wall of the kiln chamber and means for holding said members in contact with adjacent surfaces of the cars passing through the kiln.

4. In a tunnel kiln comprising an elongated kiln chamber through Which Ware supporting cars may be moved, means for sealing the joint between a. side Wall of the kiln chamber and the adjacent sides of the cars at a level intermediate the top and bottom of the kiln chamber comprising sealing members bodily movable in the side Wall of the kiln chamber, and yielding means for pressing said members into engagement With adjacent surfaces of the cars passing through the kiln chamber.

5. In a tunnel kiln comprising an elongated kiln chamber through Which Ware supporting cars may be moved, means for sealing the joint between a side Wall of the kiln chamber and the adjacent sides of the cars at a level intermediate the top and bottom of the kiln chamber comprising sealing mem` bers movably mounted in the side Wall of the kiln chamber and means for pressing said members into engagement With adjacent surfaces of the cars passing through the kiln comprising a series of transverse bars mounted in said kiln wall and connected to said sealing members and resilient means mounted on said transverse bars.

6. In a tunnel kiln comprising an elongated kiln chamber through Which Ware supporting means may be moved, means for sealing the joint betieen a side Wall of the kiln chamber and the adjacent sides of the cars at a level intermediate the top and bottom of the chamber comprising a longitudinal series of sealing members movably mounted in the side of the kiln chamber and having overlapping tongue portions hingedly connected and means for pressing said members into engagement with` adjacent surfaces of the cars passing through the kiln comprising a longitudinallyV spaced series of transverse bars mounted in the kiln chamber wall and connected to the overlapping portion of said sealing members and resilient means mounted on said transverse bars.

Signed at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, this second day of May, A. D. 1927.

PAUL A, MEEHAN. 

